Metallic fencing



(No Model.)

B. F. RANDALL.

METALLIC FENGING. No. 469,596. PatentedvFeb. 23, 1892.

UN TED STATES PATENT UFFICE.

BENJAMIN F. RANDALL, OF FALLRIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

METALLIC FENCING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,596, dated February 23, 1892. Application filed October 31, 1891. 1 Serial No. 410,517. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:,

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. RANDALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fall River, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Metallic Fencing, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that type of fencing wherein metallic strands are secured to metallic posts through the medium of locking devices.

The invention has for its object to provide novel means whereby the fence-strands are so bent and tied at every fence-post as to effectually prevent lengthwise movement, and consequently sagging, of the fence-strands.

The invention has also for its object to provide a novel locking block or plate of such construction that it is susceptible of practicable use with the various forms of metallic fence-strands now in common use and will tightly bind against upper and lower sides of a strand at opposite sides of a post, round one edge of which the strand is bent to effectually lock the strand against lengthwise movement.

To accomplish these objects my invention involves the features of construction and the combination or arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fencepost with my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a broken perspective view, on a larger scale, showing a portion of a fence-post and one of the locking blocks or plates with a portion of a fence-strand engaged with one end thereof. Fig. 3 is a broken perspective view showing the strand tied to the post according to my invention. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the locking block or plate.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, Iwill now describe the same in detail, referring to the drawings, wherein- The numeral 1 indicates a metallic fencepost, which is preferably composed of a rolled metallic plate having at the end which penetrates the ground a laterally-projecting wing 2, the head or upper end 3 of which serves as a medium for conveniently driving the post into the ground. I do not here claim this specific construction, as it may constitute the subject-matter of a separate application for Letters Patent.

The metallic post is provided at. suitable intervals with transverse orifices 4, preferably formed by punching, as shown, and these orifices are approximately rectangular to receive the rectangular locking blocks or plates 5. The form or shape of the orifices may, however, be varied to accommodate locking blocks or plates of different shape. The locking-blocks are each formed with a triangular orificeopenin g through one edge thereof to provide a mouth 6,through which the fence-stran d can be introduced, to engage it with the approximately V-shaped extremities 7 and 8 of the triangular orifice. The edges 9 and 10 of the orifice diverge from the mouth 6 to the base 12,and consequently the opposite ends of the orifice vary in width and are substantially V- shaped, as before stated. The block or plate is provided at one edge with a laterally-projecting stop-shoulder 13, so that the block or plate is wider at one end than at the other, in such manner that when the narrow end is inserted through the orifice at the stop-shoulder 13 abuts against the fence-post and the,

fence-strand 14 can be passed through the mouth 6int0 engagement with the extremity 7 of the triangular orifice in the locking-block, as in Fig. 2. In making this engagement of the fence-strand with one extremity of the locking block or plate the fence-strand is drawn taut; but the locking block or plate cannot be drawn through the orifice 4 by the tension of the fence-strand, as this is prevented by the stop-shoulder 13 hearing against the fence-post. The fence-strand is then bent round the front edge 15 of the post,

fence-strand is so bent and tied at every fencepost as to effectually prevent lengthwise movement at this point, in consequence of which sagging of the fence-strand incident to the lengthwise movement thereof at the fenceposts is entirely avoided.

This construction of locking block or plate is particularly useful and desirable in the erection of the fencing, in that a single person can make the connection between the fence-strands and the locking blocks or plates, and this result is in a large measure due to the fact that the stop-shoulder 13 01: thelocking block or plate prevents the latter from being drawn through the fencepost while a person is manipulating the wire strand to carry it round the front edge of the post to engage it with the locking-block at theoppoisite side.

The construction of the locking-bloclwith thetriangular or approximately triangular orifice is important inthat it provides substa-ntially V-shaped extremities. to the orifice and consequently renders the block or plate susceptible of practicable use withfencestrands of various forms and ofdifferent thickness or diameter. The locking-block can be employed wit'h ordinary fence-strands composed of single wires,ort:he fence-strands may be composed of twoor moreiwire's twistedtogether, or'they' may be made of flat metal l-ic ribbons twisted or not twisted, as the case may be. These different forms of fence strands are Well known, and consequently I- do not deem: it essential to illustrate all of the posts.

Having thus described my invention, what 1. The combination, with a fence-post having a transverse opening, of a lockingbl'ock or plate arranged in the opening and having an" orifice terminating at one edge of the block or plate in a strand-receiving mouth, and the extremities-of such orifice varyi-ng'in width, and a fence-strand having a bend engaged with-'oneed ge of the-fence-post andinterlocked with the extrenrities-- of the orifice at opposite sides of the post, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a fence-post having a transverse opening, of a strand-locking block or plate having at one edge -a laterally projecting stop-shoulder and provided with a triangular orifice, and a strand receiving mouth opening therei'nto, substantially-as described.

3-. The combination, with a metallic fencepost havinga transverse rectangular opening; of a; lockingblock or plate composed" ofa; flattened rectangular plate-formed'at one edge with a laterall'y proj ectingstop shoulder and provided with a triangular. orifice; and-- a strand-receiving mouth opening thereinto, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and' affixed my. seal in presence' of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN F'. RANDA-Tali.

Vitnesses:

L. B. 1V1GFARLAND, R. J. MORGAN. 

